O, my....where has the week gone??

 It has been a busy week...finally back to MissB's after having the dreaded nasty bug making the rounds for 2 weeks--that wore me out.  Then it was my beloveds birthday on Wednesday the 8th. I didn't get home until late that night,  and promised him a birthday feast for the following night, to which he replied "Don't forget, we're back at l;a Vista on Thursday night."  NOOooooo!!!!!!  So, I called the director and said, hey--is it okay if I bring food and dessert Thursday, it's Patrick's birthday --and she said--Yes,please.

  And so, there you are.  lol

  I spent a solid 5 (F-I-V-E) hours cooking on Thursday afternoon...as I decided to fix the Asian feast I've been wanting to make. And it is all vegetarian, so it lent itself well to this group.  The above picture is my recent attempt at making sushi (only the second time I've ever made it).  I tried to make some of it with brown rice, but it wasn't sticky enough, and the sushi rolls kinda exploded. (Oops.) I made an assortment of combinations, inside-out rolls and regular rolls, with daikon, carrot, avocado, radish sprouts, scallions, cucumber, and cream cheese. All mixed up and willy nilly and it was fun. It got more fun as it went along and the rolls got better looking.  lol  They were really good...and we are still eating them (almost gone).

  Then I made an Asian slaw --ribboned Napa cabbage with shredded carrot, daikon and finely diced cucumber and thinly sliced  scallion tops. I dressed it lightly with a mixture of sesame oil, tamari, and rice vinegar.  It was delightful...topped with chopped cilantro and a sprinkling of black sesame seeds.

  Then I made a pot of soba noodles, which are a Japanese buckwheat noodle. (Somehow forgot to take a picture of them...) Oh my sweet lord...are they good. I tossed them with a dressing of peanut sauce, ginger, rice vinegar and tamari, mixed in some chives and tossed in some sesame seed. 

  For dessert, I made a tofu cheesecake for my husband...he loves them,  He is lactose sensitive and so I've been making these kinds of desserts for him for a while. This one was lovely with lemon overtones, and a graham cracker/pecan crust...garnished with organic blueberries and starfruit.  Almost everyone loved it...(there's always a tofu hater in the crowd, whether they've actually had tofu or not) lol. 

  

  We had a great time and I am so glad that they changed the day of the week they meet so that I can get back in the groove with this eco-discussion group.

    On Friday the Irishman and I went to town for the afternoon. He wanted to see a movie, but I begged off. I am coughing still, and I hate it when people go to the movies and sit there coughing. So, instead, we had a decadent and leisurely late lunch, spent 2 hours browsing in the new Books-A-Million (that took over the old Borders) and then moved on to the Petco for dog biscuits before heading back home to the country. By the time we got out of the restaurant, it was starting to act like winter, with sleet and rain and snow...

    We made it home just ahead of the icky parts, thank goodness, and watched a movie on tv and snacked on leftover sushi...I had to go to bed early as my Saturday schedule is changed and had to get up by 5:30 to be at MissB's by 7.  The good news is that I am home by 3:30...one more night that my sweetheart and I can have supper together. (The one thing I hate most about not being home all the time....)

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  Today when I got home, the Irishman and a friend from Kentucky were out hiking. I was surprised to see his truck in the driveway when I pulled in, because he said he would be going to J's house. This is a typical Saturday event. Turns out they decided to come here and hang out, playing guitars and banjo.   

  All the way home I had been humming my favorite Carolina Chocolate Drop's song..Cornbread and butterbeans  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xOxHyTP91c... Since he wasn't going to be here, I thought I would open a can of butterbeans and heat them up, butter a piece of 12 grain bread and pout them right on top! Add some chopped onions and VOILA!

  So, instead, I asked J if he would stay to supper and he said What are you having?  I laughed and said --cornbread and beans. And he said--oh, hell yes.  I opened a jar of my home canned pinto beans, sauteed some carrot, celery and onion in a pot and dumped them in. Then I found a ham steak in the freezer and cut that up into big chunks. While I was out there, I brought in a quart bag of frozen turnip greens too. While the beans cooked and the greens thawed, I whipped up a batch of buttermilk corn bread and got the trusty cast iron skillet all oiled and put it in the oven to heat. I always pour the batter into a hot skillet.

  The turnip greens are easy enough...saute a little onion and chopped garlic in the small cast iron skillet, and cook the greens a little. I added just a smidgen of sugar to counter balance the sometimes bitter quality and it all turned out to be a wonderful supper. The Kentucky boy just kept saying to the Irishman --My god..do you always eat like this???  (We hear that a lot.)  lol

   Well, I am whipped. I've been up since 5:30 and it's now almost midnight.  I am good and tired and ready for that big sleigh bed to carry me off into the realm of the Sandman....

     Sweet dreams, all....

Namaste.